With many others attending churches and many purposfully deciding to not be involved in any Christian hierarchy, my question is, what is your definition of christian leadership? Just curious what everyone thinks and how you define it....
Ya know, it's ironic you mention CES... Back in the early days of that bunch someone, probably John Lynn or Sue Pierce, wrote a teaching that, IMHO, pretty much nailed it.
Actually the answer is quite obvious yet it seems no one gets it... It seems virtually everyone automatically substitutes the word 'Boss' when they hear the word leader and that especially includes the majority of the so-called leaders of TWI.
It's really so simple if you just look at the word. I mean really, how would you define the word leader? 'One who leads', right? In the CES teaching, whoever wrote it cited the example of good ol' Dan'l Boone who was a trailblazer. They explained that 'blazing' was a term that referred to taking his knife or an axe and marking various symbols in the bark of trees along the trail indicating which way to steer the wagon train... around mountains, toward water, etc... It certainly was not his role to come back and criticize the followers for no knowing which way to go.
In other words the leader has the responsibility to continue to find and head in the right way and to share that info with those who follow... NOT to boss people around nor to judge them, be exalted by them, browbeat them, condemn them, verbally/sexually abuse them... I think you get the idea.
As for the Christian leader, well, like any leader their job is to lead... (so obvioous it would be funny if it weren't so sad... everyone interpreting leader as 'boss', that is) ...to continue to walk in the spirit, hold Christ as the head, love and serve God's people and, thereby, continue to grow. In the context of the Christian's life, this must be understood in light of what the bible says about 'babes' and 'perfect' (read 'mature') Christians.
Christianity is dynamic, not static. The mature ones are to lead those less grown. How did things get so confused when the word 'leader' is so simple? Once again, we can thank the usual jerk, RELIGION. (i.e.: the doctrines andcommandments of men)
I knew a man who thought this account was really all he needed to understand to grasp the
main problem.
==========
John 13:1-15. (NASB)
" 1Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
2During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,
3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,
4got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
5Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
6So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?"
7Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter."
8Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."
9Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head."
10Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."
11For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, "Not all of you are clean."
12So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?
13"You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.
14"If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
15"For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. "
========
Unless I was completely mis-educated concerning this account,
the job given to the lowest menial in the house was to wash the feet of the guests.
That's why Peter was scandalized at the thought of Jesus washing his feet.
I often thought of Solomon's prayer right after he became King. He prayed to God for wisdom to rule His people. Soon after that prayer, the two women fighting over a baby came to him.
So, two qualities of Godly leadership (can't limit it to "Christian" in this case):
Pray for wisdom to lead.
Recognize that you are leading GOD'S people - they aren't you're people.
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waysider
I think if one is going to define and understand Christian leadership , one must first define and understand leadership (Christian or otherwise)
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free2love
Ya know, it's ironic you mention CES... Back in the early days of that bunch someone, probably John Lynn or Sue Pierce, wrote a teaching that, IMHO, pretty much nailed it.
Actually the answer is quite obvious yet it seems no one gets it... It seems virtually everyone automatically substitutes the word 'Boss' when they hear the word leader and that especially includes the majority of the so-called leaders of TWI.
It's really so simple if you just look at the word. I mean really, how would you define the word leader? 'One who leads', right? In the CES teaching, whoever wrote it cited the example of good ol' Dan'l Boone who was a trailblazer. They explained that 'blazing' was a term that referred to taking his knife or an axe and marking various symbols in the bark of trees along the trail indicating which way to steer the wagon train... around mountains, toward water, etc... It certainly was not his role to come back and criticize the followers for no knowing which way to go.
In other words the leader has the responsibility to continue to find and head in the right way and to share that info with those who follow... NOT to boss people around nor to judge them, be exalted by them, browbeat them, condemn them, verbally/sexually abuse them... I think you get the idea.
As for the Christian leader, well, like any leader their job is to lead... (so obvioous it would be funny if it weren't so sad... everyone interpreting leader as 'boss', that is) ...to continue to walk in the spirit, hold Christ as the head, love and serve God's people and, thereby, continue to grow. In the context of the Christian's life, this must be understood in light of what the bible says about 'babes' and 'perfect' (read 'mature') Christians.
Christianity is dynamic, not static. The mature ones are to lead those less grown. How did things get so confused when the word 'leader' is so simple? Once again, we can thank the usual jerk, RELIGION. (i.e.: the doctrines andcommandments of men)
Lead means lead... simple.
Edited by free2loveLink to comment
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doojable
I have said for quite some time,
"It's the nature of man to want a King."
That is why it is generally soooo easy to find someone to fill those shoes instead of that of a leader.
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WordWolf
Back when lcm drew his line in the sand in '89,
I knew a man who thought this account was really all he needed to understand to grasp the
main problem.
==========
John 13:1-15. (NASB)
" 1Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
2During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,
3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,
4got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
5Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
6So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?"
7Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter."
8Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."
9Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head."
10Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."
11For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, "Not all of you are clean."
12So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?
13"You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.
14"If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
15"For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. "
========
Unless I was completely mis-educated concerning this account,
the job given to the lowest menial in the house was to wash the feet of the guests.
That's why Peter was scandalized at the thought of Jesus washing his feet.
However, Jesus was teaching them something.
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WordWolf
Then again,
that's really more of an EXAMPLE, and not a DEFINITION.
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polar bear
To me the greatest leader is the greatest servant. Der Vay taught it but never lived it.
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doojable
Oh - they were GOOD at making servants....
As long as those servants were washing their feet and cleaning the tops of their refrigerators, and various other duties...
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doojable
But on a more serious and less sarcastic note:
I often thought of Solomon's prayer right after he became King. He prayed to God for wisdom to rule His people. Soon after that prayer, the two women fighting over a baby came to him.
So, two qualities of Godly leadership (can't limit it to "Christian" in this case):
Pray for wisdom to lead.
Recognize that you are leading GOD'S people - they aren't you're people.
Edited by doojableLink to comment
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waysider
edited to move to "Cleanliness" thread.
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